


Christmas Present

by Sioux



Category: Shetland (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-23 04:38:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9641066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sioux/pseuds/Sioux
Summary: A little short story which came to me during the snow.





	

Duncan pulled carefully up the long sloping drive to his home. He reversed his Land Rover into the garage, turned the engine off and sat back with a huge sigh as the descending garage door slowly cut off his view of the dizzying world of whirling white outside.

Driving the few miles from Sumburgh airport to home had taken hours and been absolute hell.  
Snow?  
Before Christmas?  
On Shetland?  
Not in his living memory.  
OK the end of December and into January, it's expected. But not a white Christmas.

He gripped the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger, his headache throbbing in time with his pulse. By the time he had calmed down, the courtesy light in both vehicle and garage had switched off, leaving him in blessed, silent, darkness.  
The chime of his text alert brought him back to earth.

Been called out. Going to be back late. Sorry! Know your plane landed safely. Take it easy going home, roads atrocious.

Duncan huffed. Take it easy, from the man who drove an ancient, battered Volvo and wouldn't let him replace it with a vehicle more suited to the terrain he often found himself. He smiled sardonically as he exited his Land Rover, his phone screen bright enough to light his way to the interior door into their home.

He poured himself a good measure of single malt then went around the main room switching on the Christmas lights on the tree, and the lamps, which cut the snow's reflection through the huge window which made up the full length of the open plan lounge and dining room. Every time he looked at the tree he smiled remembering weeks of nagging, all through November, from Cassie, for them to put the tree up on December first. So, in retaliation, he and Jimmy had bought lights and decorations and Duncan had insisted on this eight foot monster tree to stand in the corner. Then they had skyped Cassie at six in the morning, her time, to virtually help them decorate it. It had been a fantastic three hours. Eddison joining in. All of them prancing around in dressing gowns, giggling and laughing.

It was a thing of tranquil beauty now. Lights softly twinkling, striking different tones and sparkles from baubles and tinsel. The snow settled partially on the decking and all over the grass outside was a much softer pastel palette gentled further by the large flakes falling in an unending curtain. 

An hour later he was feeling much more human after another dram and a hot bath to relax his tense muscles. Picking up his mobile he rang the first name on speed dial, pacing slowly from one side of the room to the other. On the third attempt he got a dialling tone and a very patchy connection.

'Duncan?'

'Yeah. How's it going?'

'....too go. Snow.......'

'Try and make it back for two, eh?'

A blast of static then the call disconnected.

'Shit!' he swore, with passion.

He knew Jimmy would be devastated if he couldn't get back for the skype they were intending to place to Cassie, midnight her time, two a.m. theirs, on Christmas morning. 

Making an accurate guess that Jimmy would not have eaten much, if anything, with so many call outs, he set about pulling the ingredients together for a hot meal which wouldn't take harm from being kept warm in the oven.

Before long the whole lower floor was redolent of a warming beef stew, with red wine, root vegetables and herbs adding a delicious top note. Leaving it to cook slowly for a couple of hours, he settled back on the sofa, reclining the seat and bringing up the foot rest so he could read his book. And that was the last thing he remembered until twenty minutes to eleven. He checked the stew, turned the heat down then went to the wide window to peer out. The snow was falling slightly less heavily, which was good for the chance of Jimmy getting back. Making a decision, he went through to their room and picked up another sweater, his thickest jacket, gloves, hat, scarf and stout boots. Once in the garage he set the door to lift and got into the driving seat of his current favourite toy; a Bobcat, complete with snowplough. Grinning through the cold he started her up, adjusted the plough and began to clear the hard standing in front of the garage. The plough cut through the inches deep snow so easily. Setting off down the drive the Bobcat sliced through the deep, soft powdery snow like a hot knife through butter. 

At the end of the drive he continued out into the lane, finally getting onto the 'B' road. Despite the gritters having been out snow had still settled; slush turning crunchy as it froze. Not even considering going back he carried on along the 'B' road shifting the snow into the gutter as he chugged along at the heady speed of ten miles an hour. 

There was a minimal sort of cab around the driver of the Bobcat but the freezing wind had long since numbed his face by the time he made it to the turn-off onto the 'A' road which would eventually get to Lerwick. 

He strained his eyes vainly trying to see through the white curtain for a pair of headlights coming his way. He paused for a few minutes but the snow made it impossible to see more than a few yards in front. 

He was on the verge of turning around ready to retrace his tracks when a feeling, an instinct, made him stop. He'd made rather a lot of money reading people and trends and, most of all, trusting his gut instinct. He waited a few minutes more then put the 'cat into gear and chugged forward, on the way to Lerwick. 

Within two hundred yards, a pair of headlights topped the rise ahead, making their very unsteady way down the hill before him. The vehicle was having obvious difficulty on the treacherous road, slewing and sliding but the driver was, quite clearly, very good, as he was keeping the car on the road. 

Duncan stopped and waited until the car slowed to slithering stop beside him.

'Do you have a license for driving that vehicle on a public road,' Jimmy asked his partner.

His partner gave him a hand signal not to be found in the highway code before asking,

'Do you wanna get home before midnight?'

'I'll over look it just this once, then,' Jimmy replied, magnanimously.

Duncan closed the cab door, did a U turn behind Jimmy's car, lifted the plough, so he wouldn't bury his partner, and led the way home, pushing snow out of the way. 

Within a couple of miles the snow died away then stopped completely. Immediately Duncan's horizon opened up. He no longer had to squint to keep himself and the Bobcat on the tarmac. Daringly he put his foot down, coaxing another two miles per hour out of the beast. 

Patiently the two vehicle convoy made it's unhurried way up the drive and into the cavernous garage. Jimmy waiting until the Bobcat was stowed in it's accustomed space before backing his Volvo in to stand beside Duncan's Land Rover.

Stiffly Duncan got down from the seat, his partner melting into his arms.

'Thank you,' Jimmy whispered, kissing his frozen lips. 'Come on, let's get you inside before you go down with hypothermia.'

'Something smells good,' Jimmy said, turning to strip the layers from himself and Duncan, in the hallway.

'Boeuf Bourguignon.'

'Mmmm, I love beef stew,' Jimmy replied with a cheeky grin.

'Philistine!' Duncan growled.

Jimmy smiled, homing in for a much longer kiss, which was rudely interrupted when he placed his chilled hands on Duncan's warm back. Duncan shrieked like a girl.

'You can warm those up before you come near me again!'

'Thought you could do that job for me,' Jimmy replied, leering suggestively, heading back towards Duncan with his hands twitching in a parody of Mr Tickle.

After a few seconds of friendly rough housing Duncan had Jimmy clasped in his arms and was mercilessly nipping at that spot on his neck which made Jimmy shiver, half with delight and half revulsion.

'I submit! Submit!'

Kissing the spot Duncan looked into his lover's laughing eyes and said,

'You're in a good mood for someone who's done a sixteen hour shift.'

'No-one died tonight. Lots of messy accidents in the snow. The last one was a wee girl, Mary Taylor, trapped in her mother's car after it spun off the road. Her mother is a tiny, wee soul but she pushed the seat one way, I pushed the dash the other way and her leg popped free with nothing more than a few bruises and scratches. Nobody died today!'

Duncan felt his lips stretching in a smile as huge as his partners, as he held him tight. Basking in the moment felt good, even better than good, great, until his selfish stomach gurgled; an answering growl from Jimmy's had him snorting.

'Come on, let's eat.'

Table set and food laid out when Jimmy's laptop began buzzing, signalling an incoming skype call. Instinctively Duncan checked his watch whilst Jimmy accepted the call.

'Merry Christmas, Dad!' Cassie carolled.

'Cassie!!' Jimmy exclaimed.

His daughter's face, excited and so very happy stared out at him. 

Duncan rounded the settee and sat next to him.

'Happy Christmas, love,' he said, as the frame pixalated and refreshed slowly, although the audio was fine.

'We wanted to ring you now, we're just going out to a party.'

In the background Eddison's face came nearer, squeezing in next to Cassie.

'Happy Christmas, Jimmy, Duncan.'

'Happy Christmas, Eddison,'

'Are you both alright? I saw the weather forecast had snow in Shetland. Is that right?'

'Aye, we've got a white Christmas here,' Jimmy replied, glancing out of the window then picking up the laptop and taking it to the big sliding glass windows. Duncan switched on the outside lights throwing the virgin snowfield at the back of the house into sharp relief.

'Oh my God! I can't believe it. The first Christmas I'm not there and you get snow!'

'That's what you get for being a globe-trotting entrepreneur,' Duncan told his daughter. He could sense Cassie was being told that they needed to leave. Sure enough, she turned back to them saying, 

'I love you. Have a good time'

Love you's were shouted back as the connection was broken.

Jimmy stayed standing, staring at the blank screen.

'Our little girl is all grown-up,' he said softly, as if his words alone could conjure up an image of Cassie.

'Aye, she is. She's grown into a beautiful, well-adjusted young woman. The kudos for that go to you.'

Jimmy ignored the huge compliment. 'You know these days, I don't even want to consider being at a party on Christmas Eve.'

'Hardly surprising given how long you've been working. Here.' Duncan handed him a crystal tumbler containing a good measure of malt.

'Merry Christmas, my love,' Duncan said, softly, toasting his partner.

'Merry Christmas.'

 

They made a leisurely meal, finishing with cheese and a good bottle of port Duncan had been keeping.

Taking the bottle with them, they adjourned to the lounge area, but Jimmy kept going, opening the glass door and slipping through onto the deck outside. Duncan following, handing him his glass and shutting the door. 

The sea was a whisper in the distance. Now the wind had dropped, the night was as quiet as it ever got. Duncan could feel the peace stealing in and settling within his soul as he put his arms around Jimmy, holding his back against his chest and breathing in the scent of his hair. He didn't ever want to be with anyone else. He'd never felt this kind of peace and love with either of his ex-wives. Or with any of his myriad lovers. Jimmy felt like home.

'She looked so grown-up tonight,' Jimmy repeated.

'She is all grown-up. She's got her own life with her partner now.'

'She disnae need her fathers any more.'

'She'll always need her Dad,' Duncan replied, knowing that he had been superfluous to requirements, by his own actions and choice, for many years.

After a few moments silence, Duncan said, 

'Don't they say that if your child feels confident enough to strike out on their own you've done a good job being a parent?'

'So what do the parents do then?'

'They get on with their own lives,' Duncan replied, dropping a kiss on the top of Jimmy's head. 'Let's go back inside, it's cold.'

'Do you really think she'll always need us?'

'Aye, especially in a couple of years time when she's looking for free babysitters. The grandparents are always first in line.'

Jimmy stopped dead in the middle of the floor, his blue eyes opened very wide.

'That must have occurred to you?' Duncan asked.

I'm having enough trouble with the concept of Cassie as a young woman. I didn't think of that.'

'Aye, well, young woman tend to want to reproduce. So at some point we're going to be getting the news she's doing just that.'

'A baby. My Cassie's baby,' Jimmy murmured, his expression changing from surprise to misty-eyed longing.

Oh bugger, Duncan thought, I've just given him a glimpse of the Promised Land. Of course, he only started looking after Cassie when she was at infant school. He was never there for her babyhood.

All the while he was thinking this he was guiding Jimmy back to the sofa to sit down. He couldn't take his eyes off the expression of hope and yearning on Jimmy's face. Then it suddenly shut down, like steel door closing.

'She's no gonna be coming back home, Eddison's parents will be looking after the we'en.'

'Don't sell yoursel short. Cassie will definitely be wanting her Dad with her at that time in her life.'

'You really think so?'

Jimmy's face was begging to hear an affirmative. 

Duncan put his arms around his suddenly broody partner and said quietly,

'I guarantee it, Grand-dad.'


End file.
